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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24683044">A Place to call home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanajimasama/pseuds/Hanajimasama'>Hanajimasama</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Au Ra Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), F/M, Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Spoilers, Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Spoilers, Fluff, Overflowing emotions, Pining, Public Display of Affection, Romance, playful banter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:26:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,837</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24683044</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanajimasama/pseuds/Hanajimasama</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fight at Baelsar’s Wall and then going straight to finding the Omega weapon to stop another calamity occurring, Mizuki was so weary but the sight of Aymeric gives her a little energy.<br/>Aymeric unable to contain his emotions after worrying about her safety.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aymeric de Borel/Original Character(s), Aymeric de Borel/Warrior of Light, Cid nan Garlond &amp; Warrior of Light</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV - Aymeric de Borel x WoL Recommendations</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Place to call home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The song at the start and end is: A Place to call home: Melodies of Life from FFIX. I feel it kind of fitted this theme. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why -<br/>
We met, we laughed, we held on fast and then we said goodbye…</i>
</p><p>After the fight at Baelsar’s Wall and then going straight to finding the Omega weapon to stop another calamity occurring, Mizuki was so weary, ready to sleep for a few days and let her body rest. Her robes felt so much heavier than normal, it was difficult to keep her feet moving forward. </p><p>“Chin up, Mizuki,” Cid grinned, patting her shoulder: the force could have sent her cascading to the floor if she hadn’t leaned on her staff to stop herself toppling over. </p><p>“Easy for you to say. It’ll be straight out again with little respite,” she replied, rubbing her arm. It still throbbed, feeling almost like a dead weight from such an intense fight: the recoil from larger spells cast rapidly made one's limbs akin to jelly.</p><p>“I wasn’t aware that the Warrior of Light was so easily tired.” Nero scoffed as he strutted past her.</p><p>“Rejoice that I haven’t decided to drown you yet,” Mizuki snapped back. Like Cid, she held little affection for Nero even though he was an old friend. But he had helped, though it didn’t make him any less smug nor any less irritating.</p><p>“Back off, Nero.” Cid warned, ushering them all towards Nophica’s Altar in the small clearing before the Lotus Stand where the alliance awaited their report. </p><p>As they were guided into the Lotus Stand by a soldier of the twin adder, Mizuki looked up from under her hat to see Aymeric and a tired smile graced her lips. Just the sight of him filled her tired body with life. As he turned in her direction his eyes lit up and he started towards her from the side of other alliance leaders.</p><p>
  <i>He wouldn’t…</i>
</p><p>“Ser Aymeric!” Lucia called in alarm, reaching to grab his arm but he was already out of her reach, moving towards Mizuki. He reached to cup her face, then dipped down to kiss her, knocking her hat off in his eagerness.</p><p><i>Ah- he would. </i>She could hear Cid sniggering and Alphinaud’s shocked gasp.</p><p>“Aym- Ser Aymeric...” she mumbled, looking away from him, aware of how crimson her cheeks were. Normally she would enjoy and return his kisses but normally she wasn’t in attendance at a serious meeting. </p><p>“It fills me with joy to have you safely returned.” He smiled softly at her, then dipped to steal a softer kiss. </p><p>
  <i>This man knows no shame...</i>
</p><p>“Aymeric...please...not in front of the alliance,” she whispered against his lips.</p><p>“I care not,” he retorted, pulling her into his embrace, “I was worried.” She had to resist with every fibre of her being the urge to hug him back - this was no place for such displays, though her body was longing to stay like this, to curl up in his arms and fall asleep. </p><p>Nero cleared his throat. “If you two are quite finished.” </p><p>Mizuki frowned at his pointed comment but he was right. Pulling away from Aymeric she looked around to see Cid holding out the hat to her. </p><p>“Thank you-”</p><p>“Should I start calling you lady de Borel?” Cid teased quietly. Mizuki responded by stomping on his foot hard. “Ow!” he protested as she snatched her hat from him.</p><p>“Quiet, Master Garlond.” she huffed, pulling her hat over her eyes and taking her place next to Lucia</p><p>“Now that’s not fair-” Cid whined.</p><p>“We shall continue without any future disruptions,” Merlwyb announced sternly, with a sharp glance at Mizuki. </p><p>
  <i>Wonderful…</i>
</p><p>She was dreading the questions that were going to be fired at her once this meeting was adjourned: she could see Alphinaud watching her with his mouth hung open like a fish. <i>Oh..he was oblivious to a lot in Ishgard..except the dragons..</i></p><p>-</p><p>“A moment, Ser Aymeric,” Kan-E-Senna called as Aymeric turned to leave.</p><p>“Yes, of course.”</p><p>Mizuki exited the Lotus Stand with Lucia, sighing when she spotted Cid waiting nearby with a smug grin plastered across his face.</p><p>“Not a word from you,” she warned.</p><p>“Oh, we’re not going to talk about your shameful dis-”</p><p>“I was unaware you and Ser Aymeric-” Alphinaud interrupted quickly: perhaps spending too much time around Emmanellain during their time in Ishgard had sparked his interest in gossip.</p><p>“Of course you were, brother, too busy with your politics,” Alisaie teased. “I thought it was quite sweet,” she added with an affirmative nod. “He truly does care for you, doesn’t he?”</p><p>Mizuki sighed again, wishing nothing more for this conversational topic to be over. “I am sure we have more pressing matters to attend to.” </p><p>“I’m sure Ser Aymeric would be-” began Cid.</p><p>Mizuki covered Alphinaud’s ears, a flush creeping across her cheeks. “Finish that sentence, Master Garlond, and I shall set you on fire,” she snapped. “There are children present. Don’t you have a friend to chaperone? Away with you, shoo!” </p><p>“My lady, you wound me,” Cid sighed, his body slumping in defeat. “We’ll meet you at the landing port.” He beckoned the twins to follow him. </p><p>Lucia chuckled as he led them away. “I did try to stop him,” </p><p>“In front of the alliance members too,” Mizuki mumbled into her hand, her face flooding with colour when she remembered his passionate display. “I thought he would know better than to bring personal affairs to such meetings.” </p><p>“Just as you say. I was told to keep my personal affairs separate,” Aymeric said, appearing from the clearing. He walked over to them and took her hand, slowly rolling his thumb across her knuckles. “Pray forgive me, I could not contain my emotions.” He brought her hand to his lips to kiss softly and his eyes flicked up to meet hers, those beautiful ice-blue eyes that set the blood boiling in her veins. If only she had an eternity to spend merely staring into his gorgeous eyes.</p><p>“It took all I had to stop him marching off to find you once that dragon broke out of its cocoon,” Lucia added, bringing them out of their unblinking staring.</p><p>Mizuki brought her hand to her lips to hide her grin. “I appreciate the sentiment, my lord, but I am quite capable of defending myself.”</p><p>“That I am more than aware of, but” - he kissed her hand again with a playful glint in his eyes - “am I not permitted to worry about my beautiful hero?” </p><p>Mizuki cleared her throat and changed the topic, retrieving her hand from the much taller elezen. “It sounds like you were scolded by the Admiral.” Aymeric nodded, walking in step with her and Lucia. “Anything else happened whilst I was away?” Mizuki asked.</p><p>Lucia opened her mouth but Aymeric quickly interrupted, a flush across his cheeks. “It looks like you’ll be away again soon.” </p><p>
  <i>Oh..I wonder why… Lucia will tell me later.</i>
</p><p>“No rest for the righteous,” she laughed, shaking her head. “I was hoping to be able to come home for a few days at least.” She and Lucia looked at each other, then turned as they noticed Aymeric had stopped dead in his tracks. “Aymeric?”</p><p>“Home...” he repeated in shock.</p><p>“That is, if the offer still stands?” Mizuki added, “calling your home my own-” Aymeric’s eyes lit up and he hurried towards her, cupping her face again to kiss passionately, her hands gripping at his sapphire blue robe to steady herself.</p><p>
  <i>So much for heeding those words. </i>
</p><p>“Of course, my beloved!” His smile could have very well blinded her. He seized her by the waist and lifted her off the ground, sending her hat floating to the floor as he spun her around.</p><p>“Aymeric! By the Twelve! Put me down!” she ordered, trying not to smile but it was difficult when faced with such uncontrolled excitement. Aymeric changed his grip to carry her princess- style and rested his forehead against hers “Honestly..” she chuckled, reaching to touch at his cheek, finding herself drawn once again into those crystalline eyes. </p><p>
  <i>Just once…</i>
</p><p>She closed the gap, succumbing to the desire to feel that closeness, to feel his breath on her lips and the tickle of his soft ebony hair on her nose. She closed her eyes, about to shamefully claim his lips for her own, willingly and in public.</p><p>“It would seem that my words fell on deaf ears, did they, Ser Aymeric?” Merlwyb asked. Mizuki squirmed urgently out of Aymeric’s arms, almost falling flat on her face, and glanced up to see Merlwyb and Raubhan watching her scramble for her hat which sat nearby on a rock.</p><p>“Well.. I should be away.” She grabbed her hat and bowed hastily. “Excuse me.”. </p><p>-</p><p>Aymeric’s eyes followed Mizuki as she hurried off. His shoulders slumped - he hadn’t even got to say goodbye properly. When would he see her again?</p><p>“I certainly expected better from the Warrior of Light,” Merlwyb mused. She walked past then paused to glance over her shoulder. “I do hope to get an invitation to the ceremony, though.” </p><p>Aymeric felt his face flush as he caught the meaning of the Admiral’s words. “Oh.. We haven’t- I have yet to-” He cleared his throat as the admiral laughed at his sudden loss of speech.</p><p>“My gil was on Master Garlond to ask her first,” she joked, then off she went without another word, leaving Aymeric standing confused.</p><p>
  <i>Mizuki and Cid?</i>
</p><p>He was snapped from his thoughts by Raubahn’s hand, patting him on the back; the general was so tall and muscular that his ‘light tap’ was enough to knock the wind out of anyone.<br/>
“Pay the Admiral no heed,” he advised, a smirk tugging at his own lips. “She jests. Though I’m sure the Sultana will be overjoyed to hear of your union,” he added with an approving nod.</p><p>“Truthfully, I would not know if our esteemed hero would say yes..” Aymeric admitted.</p><p>The general’s heavy hand patted him again. “If you had been anyone else pulling a performance like that at such a meeting she would have set you alight.” Raubahn laughed.  “I look forward to the ceremony.“ Then he too departed leaving Aymeric winded and at a complete loss. </p><p>Lucia offered him a warm smile. “Should I ask your thoughts?” Aymeric said.</p><p>“I believe there is a good chance.” she replied. “But we should be on our way too, Ser Aymeric. I am sure Lord Haurchefant would delight in hearing such news also..”</p><p>“You wish to tease me as well?” Aymeric looked up at the sky through the forest’s canopy, his heart swirling with hope and doubt: would Mizuki really agree to such a thing? To be bonded with him for eternity..to be his loving wife?</p><p>Until he could ask her such things, he must feverishly pray for her safe return home. </p><p>
  <i>Yes. Home. Where I can protect her for once, instead of she saving me.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>-</i>
</p><p>
  <i>In my dearest memories,<br/>
I see you reaching out to me<br/>
Though you're gone,<br/>
I still believe that you can call out my name</i>
</p>
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